November 2012 – Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

• Calls to Participate

• Special Education Resources

• Update From The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

• Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

• Upcoming Conferences and Events

• Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

• Book Review:  Exceptional Learners: Education and Research from a Global Perspective. By Stephanie M. Pena

• Acknowledgements

• Download a PDF or XPS Version of This Issue

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Calls to Participate

Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities
http://centerononlinelearning.org/
Virtual schools and online education are rapidly gaining popularity, yet little research exists on whether such methods are effective for students with disabilities. To learn more about this, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the U.S. Department of Education funded the Center on Online Learning and Students with Disabilities in January of 2012. The five-year grant project is a partnership of the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning (KUCRL), the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), and the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE). They will conduct research on how K-12 online learning impacts the access, participation, and progress of students with disabilities and how to improve online digital curriculum materials, their delivery/support systems, and their efficacy for students with disabilities and other elementary and secondary learners.

Informed Consent for Healthcare: My Health – My Decision
http://myhealthconsent.org/myhealthmydecision.html
“My Health – My Decision” is a component of a larger education initiative regarding informed consent and decision-making. The curriculum was developed by a team of people with disabilities and experts in supporting them. Key Factors in their program include: introducing skills needed to help people with intellectual disabilities become more meaningfully involved in their healthcare decisions; co-presenting by people with disabilities and supporting staff/volunteers; paying co-trainers for their time and expertise; and making support staff and family members aware of the content prior to training. The complete training program is available for download.

Knight Foundation Announces Tech for Engagement Grants
http://tinyurl.com/8kbjgte
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced grants totaling $1.3 million to four nonprofits through its Tech for engagement Initiative. The grants will support technology projects experimenting with ways to connect people with each other and take action on issues they care about.

LEF Communities among 100 Best Communities for Young People
http://tinyurl.com/8qdj58a
The Public Education Network (PEN) congratulates Mobile, New York, Norwalk, Tampa-Hillsborough, Charleston, Greenville, and Cincinnati – Local Education Fund (LEF) communities – all of which were selected as part of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance. Each year, America’s Promise and the ING Foundation celebrate 100 deserving communities who effectively provide their youth with the Five Promises – caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education, and opportunities to help others – and work to increase graduation rates.

 

Microsoft Commits $500 Million to Create Opportunities for Youth
http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/youthspark/
Microsoft has launched an initiative to address the growing “opportunity gap” for some three hundred million youth in more than one hundred countries, including fifty million in the United States, over the next three years. Through the YouthSpark initiative, Microsoft will invest a total of $500 million, from both new and existing funds, in youth programs around the world and will launch three new citizenship programs.

Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity Call for Proposals
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/
The Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawai‘i seeks proposals for presentations for the 29th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity: Being in Community, which will be held April 29-30, 2013, Honolulu, Hawai’i. “Being in Community” embraces the ideals of all people living together harmoniously without fear of exclusion from social, economic, or political life. It means living inter-dependently, ensuring that basic needs are met, that policies and laws are accessible and fair to all. It means “nothing about us, without us.” Being in community requires awareness and a profound commitment to the work we have done and continue to do to make things right in the world. It means taking diversity to a new and more meaningful level where everyone is treated as a full human being without exception. Deadline for proposals: January 7, 2013.

George Washington University’s Distance Education Master of Arts Program
http://gsehd.gwu.edu/programfinder/519-tse/online/graduatecertificate/95-tsecert
The George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development is recruiting for its online Youth Transition, Career, and Vocational Services Master’s degree program, supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Funding will cover a large portion of student tuition costs. Students are expected to register for at least 2 courses (6 credits) per semester. For more information about the Master’s program or applying for a tuition award, email Bridget Green at greenb@gwu.edu or Dr. Michael Ward at mjward@gwu.edu. Deadline for submitting applications: November 15, 2012.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month
http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/
Students, parents, and educators across the country will show their support for bullying prevention in October, during PACER’s seventh annual National Bullying Prevention Month. October 10 is Unity Day, when students will wear orange and unite against bullying through events, activities, outreach, and education. Participants can “Attend” and “Share” the Unity Day Facebook Event with family and friends, and check out PACER’s practical resources that make it easier to take action and remember that “The End of Bullying Begins with Me.”

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Special Education Resources

Back On Track: Report on Dropout Recovery Programs in the Southwest (August 2012)
Report
http://bit.ly/Pg5FMx
“Back on Track Through College in the Rio Grande Valley: From Dropout Recovery to Postsecondary Success,” a new First Focus report, discusses how Dropout recovery programs are gaining traction in the Southwest as several “back-on-track” initiatives succeed through an innovative educational structure in helping students to obtain a high school diploma while taking college courses to prepare for their future. The report looks at the legacy of Dr. Daniel King, a Texas Independent School District superintendent who in 2007 launched the College, Career, and Technology Academy (CCTA) to assist minority, economically disadvantaged, and at-risk students to capitalize on their untapped potential.

CADRE Unveils New Parent Dispute Resolution Resource Showcase (2012)
Resource Collection
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/parent/matrixCMK.cfm
The Parent Dispute Resolution Resource Showcase is a searchable collection of resources related to special education dispute resolution that are of value to parents and the centers who serve them. These resources can also benefit to educators and professionals who work with family members.

CADRE Webinar: Re-connecting with the Roots of the IEP/IFSP Process (September 2012)
Archived Webinar
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/abellwebinar.cfm
On September 19, 2012, CADRE hosted a webinar with guest presenter Greg Abell of Sound Options Group. Efforts at improving the IEP/IFSP processes often focus on compliance issues. This webinar explored the IEP/IFSP processes as Adaptive Learning tasks that bring a diverse group of people together to engage a complex challenge, and explored ways to balance the Technical (compliance) elements with the Adaptive (innovative) elements of these processes while reconnecting with the core values of the IDEA.

Casey Foundation Analysis of Survey on Increase in Child Poverty Rates (September 2012)
Survey Summary
http://tinyurl.com/9ulkhbp
The rate of children living in poverty nationally increased from 19% in 2005 to 23% in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). An analysis of ACS data by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau found that child poverty rates for 44 of the 50 largest cities in the nation increased between 2005 and 2011 at rates of from 12%-57%. Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Arlington (TX), Indianapolis, and Wichita (KS) experienced the biggest increase in their child poverty rate. The Casey Foundation has updated its KIDS COUNT Data Center to reflect the ACS data.

 

Child Trends Fact Sheet: What Works for Female Children and Adolescents (August)
Fact Sheet
http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2012_08_20_WW_FemaleChildrenAdol.pdf
Child Trends has issued a Fact Sheet/Research Brief, “What Works for Female Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions.” It synthesizes findings from evaluations of interventions to reduce risk factors for children and youth, presenting what works – and what doesn’t – for girls. Available in pdf (23 pages, 641 KB).

Child Trends Fact Sheet: What Works for Male Children and Adolescents (August 2012)
Fact Sheet
http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2012_08_20_WW_MaleChildrenAdol.pdf
Child Trends has issued a Fact Sheet/Research Brief, “What Works for Male Children and Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions.” It synthesizes findings evaluations of interventions to reduce risk factors for children and youth, presenting what works – and what doesn’t – for boys. Available in pdf (28 pages, 533 KB).

Child Trends Resource Collection on Positive Indicators (2012)
Resource Collection
http://tinyurl.com/8bc4gke
As part of its Flourishing Children Project, Child Trends has added a collection of resources on Positive Indicators of child development to its website. Child Trends has developed rigorous national indicators of flourishing among children and youth for inclusion in national surveys, research studies, and program evaluations.

Closing the Expectations Gap (September)
Report
http://www.achieve.org/ClosingtheExpectationsGap2012
The seventh annual “Closing the Expectations Gap” report by Achieve analyzes how states are aligning college- and career-ready (CCR) standards in English and mathematics with policies that send clear signals about what it means to be academically prepared for college and careers after high school. The report details states’ policy progress on the CCR agenda, and efforts to implement those policies. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted standards aligned to the expectations of college and careers.

National Juvenile Justice Network: Advances in Juvenile Justice Reform (September 2012)
Report
http://www.njjn.org/our-work/juvenile-justice-reform-advances-2009-2011
The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN), with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change initiative, has released “Advances in Juvenile Justice Reform: 2009-2011.” The report documents advances and reforms in juvenile justice across the country between 2009-2011 in 24 policy areas, including closing and downsizing facilities, reducing the recidivism rate, stemming the school-to-prison pipeline, and addressing juveniles involved in the adult justice system.

 

NCWD/Youth Releases InfoBrief on Family Guideposts (September 2012)
InfoBrief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/node/1434
NCWD/Youth has released “The Guideposts for Success: A Framework for Families Preparing Youth for Adulthood,” an InfoBrief examining how the Guideposts for Success can be used as a framework which families of youth with disabilities can use in considering the support needs of their youth during the transition planning process. This information will also help professionals seeking strategies to effectively partner with families, and advocates looking to empower families in the transition process.

NCWD/Youth Releases InfoBrief on Universal Design for Learning in Workforce Development Programs (October 2012)
InfoBrief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/information-brief-37
NCWD/Youth has released “Everybody Learns, Everybody Works: Using Universal Design for Learning in Workforce Development Programs,” an InfoBrief for professionals who work directly with youth in workforce development programs. It explains the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational model that makes any general curriculum accessible to all learners, regardless of learning style, and brief describes how UDL principles can be used in work experiences and training settings to engage all youth, including youth with disabilities.

NCWD/Youth Releases Policy Brief on Health Care Transition (September 2012)
Policy Brief
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/node/1435
NCWD/Youth has released “Transition’s Missing Link: Health Care Transition,” a Policy Brief drawing on a number of recent health care-related reports to identify strategies for improving health care transition for youth with chronic conditions and disabilities.

OJJDP Girls’ Study Group Program Summary (2012)
Program Summary
http://www.ojjdp.gov/programs/ProgSummary.asp?pi=42#Overview
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has issued an overview of the work of its Girls Study Group. The Girls Study Group assists OJJDP in understanding risk and protective factors associated with female juvenile offending and the consequences for youth involved in such offending. It also identifies effective strategies for communities to use in their efforts to prevent and reduce female involvement in delinquency and violence. The Group is working to establish a theoretical and empirical foundation to guide the development, testing, and dissemination of strategies to prevent and diminish girls’ involvement in delinquency and violence and mitigate the consequences of such involvement and hopes to provide policymakers with guidance that is theoretically sound, culturally and developmentally appropriate, and empirically grounded.

OJJDP’s Releases Voices From the field: Findings From the NGI Listening Sessions (January 2012)
Report
http://tinyurl.com/8c37po6
The National Girls Institute (NGI) of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released “Voices From the field: Findings From the NGI Listening Sessions.” The voices of stakeholders – at-risk or justice system-involved girls, parents and caregivers, and practitioners – who attended listening sessions that NGI held across the nation informed the report. The report details training, technical assistance, and informational needs that participants identified as well as recommendations for the field. Available in pdf (32 pages, 3.19 MB).

State High School Exit Exams: A Policy in Transition (September 2012)
Report
http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?DocumentSubTopicID=8
“State High School Exit Exams: A Policy in Transition,” the Center on Education Policy’s eleventh annual report on high school exit exams, finds that states are rethinking these assessments. Eight of the 26 states with exit-exam policies have aligned them to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) or other college- and career-readiness standards, and 10 more will do so in the near future. Aligning exit exams to more rigorous standards will impact the performance of students taking them, and these rates tend to be lower for minority and poor students, students with disabilities, and English language learners.

Students with Disabilities: Better Federal Coordination Could Lessen Challenges in the Transition from High School (July 2012)
Report
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-594
The transition from high school to postsecondary education or the workforce can be challenging for all students, but young adults with disabilities often face many additional obstacles along the way. A new Government Accountability Office report, “Students with Disabilities: Better Federal Coordination Could Lessen Challenges in the Transition from High School,” explores the issue and makes recommendations for improved service delivery.

The SAT® Report on College & Career Readiness: 2012 (2012)
Report
http://tinyurl.com/9jwbxwe
“The SAT® Report on College & Career Readiness: 2012” offers a total group report and state-by-state reports, providing broad context of student performance.

The Urgency of Now: the Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males (September 2012)
Report
http://www.blackboysreport.org/
“The Urgency of Now: the Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males,” a report from the Schott Foundation, finds that only 52% of black male and 58% of Latino male ninth-graders graduate from high school in four years, compared with 78% of white, non-Latino male ninth-graders. Graduation for black males nationally increased 10% since 2001-02, but this progress reduced the graduation gap between black males and white, non-Latino males by only three percentage points; at this rate, it will take 50 years for black males to achieve the same graduation rates as white counterparts. Without a policy framework that creates opportunity for all students, strengthens supports for the teaching profession and strikes the right balance between support-based reforms and standards-driven reforms, the U.S. will become increasingly unequal and less competitive in the global economy.

Youth Organizing for Education Change (November 2012)
Report
http://tinyurl.com/98nw8e7
Young people should be considered actors in school change, not simply the recipients of changed schools. Youth-led efforts to create change in schools, districts and education policy are on the rise. “Youth Organizing for Educational Change” features case studies of seven youth organizing efforts across the United States that to inform, instruct, and inspire youth-led efforts.

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Update from the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

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Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET

Baltimore, MD

Job Category: Full-time (35-40 hours a week)

Effectiveness Coach, Special Education – Baltimore City Teaching Residency Baltimore, MD

TNTP seeks an Effectiveness Coach, Special Education for our Baltimore City Teaching Residency (BCTR) program. The Effectiveness Coach will be based in our BCTR program office. The time commitment for this role is approximately 35-40 hours per week on average. TNTP will provide a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving, if applicable. The Effectiveness Coach, Special Education prepares, develops and evaluates Special Education Residents to be the most effective first year teachers in Baltimore City Public Schools. The successful candidate will work exclusively with first year Special Education Residents from pre-service training through their first year teaching. This position offers the opportunity to have a profound impact on the preparation and development of Special Education Teachers to teach in high-need schools in Baltimore.

Requirements:

• Support of alternative routes to teacher certification and an interest in working with new teachers
• Strong education background and instructional skill set with at least three years K-12 Special Education teaching experience (strongly preferred), preferably in high-need schools or with high-need populations, and a track record of raising student achievement
• Extensive knowledge of federal, state and district level Special Education law and regulations
• Previous experience developing and leading teacher professional development (strongly preferred)
• Understanding of effective teaching and how to observe teachers in action and diagnose key levers for improvement
• Ability to implement targeted interventions to immediately improve new teachers’ performance
• Ability to track and analyze data on teacher and student performance to uncover trends and act on the data strategically and effectively
• Strong staff management experience or instincts
• Familiarity with Maryland curriculum standards and teaching standards (preferred)

Benefits:

TNTP offers a motivated team of dynamic colleagues, a collegial atmosphere that values professional development and valuable feedback, a comprehensive benefits plan effective on the first day of employment – including low cost medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, a 403(b) plan with matching, potential opportunities for performance based bonuses – as well as the chance to impact the direction of a growing, mission-driven company that is committed to the success of our nation’s children. For more information on TNTP’s competitive benefits package, please visit tntp.org/join/our-benefits/

To Apply

Please submit your resume and tailored cover letter online at:

http://ch.tbe.taleo.net/CH05/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=THENEWTEACHERPROJECT&cws=1&rid=1327

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Milford, MA

Job Category: Executive

 

Criterion Child Enrichment is conducting a nationwide search for a Senior Vice President of Early Childhood Services. Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit organization, Criterion has served families for over 25 years and is a leading provider of early childhood education and early intervention services. Each year the agency serves over 5000 families with a program network that extends throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senior Vice President will be responsible for implementation of Criterion’s Mission and Strategic Plans and will supervise a Divisional Director who is responsible for the day to day operation of programs and services. Criterion’s corporate office is located within a 40 minute drive of downtown Boston.

This recruitment is specifically focused on identifying an individual with the capacity to enhance and expand the agency’s participation in professional education and applied research in the fields of early childhood education, early intervention and family-centered service delivery. Applicants must possess a doctoral degree in a discipline relevant to the agency mission and substantial clinical experience. Experience in fiscal and personnel management is preferred but not required as substantial training and support in these areas will be provided for the successful applicant. Applicants will receive a detailed prospectus describing agency programs and operations upon submission of a letter of interest and vitae.

Criterion Child Enrichment is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are considered for positions without regard to mental or physical disability, handicap, race, color, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, ancestry, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status or other categories protected by law.

Confidential applications may be submitted to:

Robert F. Littleton Jr. Ed.D., President
Criterion Child Enrichment
321 Fortune Boulevard
Milford, Massachusetts 01757

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Assistant Professor

Springfield, Massachusetts

Job Category: Full Time

 

Special Education/Education

Springfield College is currently accepting applications for a tenure track, nine-month faculty appointment in the Education Department. Teaching responsibilities will include courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, covering topics such as behavior management, educational assessment and the IEP process, curricular accommodations and modifications, legal and ethical issues in special education and RTI. In addition, the successful candidate will supervise student teachers in local school settings.

Qualifications include

Doctorate in Education from a regionally accredited institution or related field required (ABD considered). A minimum of two years of PreK-12 school teaching experience in special education and current licensure/certification in special education. College/University level supervision of student teachers and instructional experience preferred.

Founded in 1885, Springfield College is internationally renowned in the allied health sciences, human and social services, sports and movement studies, and the arts and sciences. Campus Life is guided by the distinctive Humanics philosophy: education of the whole person – spirit, mind and body – for leadership in service to others. More than 5,000 traditional, nontraditional and international students study at its main campus and satellite campuses of its School of Human Services in eight cities.

Please send letter of application, current resume or curriculum vitae, all educational transcripts, evidence of teaching, certification/special education licensure, and the names and contact information for 3-5 professional references to Dr. Anne Herzog, Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Professional Studies, Springfield College, 263 Alden St., Springfield, MA 01109. E-materials welcome at asps@springfieldcollege.edu. Initial review of applications will begin on November 5, 2012.

Springfield College is committed to enhancing diversity and equality in education and employment.

Contact Us – asps@springfieldcollege.edu

 

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Master Middle School Teachers – TEP Charter School

New York, NY

Job Category: $125,000 Salary for Master Middle School Teachers

 

$125,000 Salary for Master Middle School Teachers!

Earn a $125,000 salary and join a team of master teachers at The Equity Project(TEP) Charter School, recently featured on the front page of the New York Times:http://www.tepcharter.org/nytimes.php. TEP is a 480-student 5th through 8th grade middle school in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.

 

Learn more and apply today at http://www.tepcharter.org/apply.php

Open positions: http://www.tepcharter.org/open-teaching-positions.php

 

About TEP Charter School

TEP aims to put into practice the central conclusion of a large body of research related to student achievement: teacher quality is the most important school-based factor in the academic success of students, particularly those from low-income families. In singling out teacher quality as the essential lever in educational reform, TEP is uniquely focused on attracting and retaining master teachers. To do so, TEP uses a three-pronged strategy that it terms the 3 R’s: Rigorous Qualifications, Redefined Expectations, & Revolutionary Compensation. For more information, visit us online at http://www.tepcharter.org

 

Info Session @ TEP

Thinking about applying for a teaching position at TEP? Attend an in-person information session with TEP’s Principal, Zeke Vanderhoek. Take a tour of the school, and learn more about the teacher application process and teaching at TEP.

When: Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 6PM (For online options, click here)
Where: TEP Charter School

Learn how to RSVP for the event by clicking the following link:http://www.tepcharter.org/session-for-teachers.php

 

We also have a Live Online Info Session too!

Click here for more information: www.tepcharter.org/info-session-for-teachers.php

Learn more here:http://www.tepcharter.org/overview-the-3Rs.php

Contact: jobs@tepcharter.org

 

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Private Teacher

Bradenton, FL

Job Category: Private Teacher

Description

My son has several diagnoses… SPD, ASD and Aspergers. Who knows which is most acurate. Not sure it matters. I need someone that understands he is moving so he can pay attention not because he is being disobient. He also makes vocal sounds on a regular basis. You will have to be tolerant. His need for moving is like the need for oxygen. We have a playground and trampoline, plenty of area to fun and climb or swim. It doesn’t matter in which fashion he learns (while swimming, running, etc) as long as he is having fun.

As you can imagine he has had difficulty in typical private schools, so that is why we have chosen to home school. Learning can be fun… handson… I just need to find that person capable of doing that.

He is an 8 year old boy that is ALL boy. He is our angel.. and we love him beyond belief.
I would like someone to push him beyond grade level in Math. That’s the good thing about homeschool, you can be on different grade levels in different subjects.

He is in several therapies which could take place after school, or before.

I am thinking that perhaps 4 hours may be all that is needed to teach curriculum.
He has advanced remarkably in FastForward. I have tons of equipment and supplies for the new teacher.

Times are flexible but I do prefer early mornings to early afternoons. (perhaps 8-11 or 12) Please email questions and salary requirement.

Requirements

The person we seek will be a Christian, have a huge amount of patience, and someone that will make learning a fun adventure.

Benefits

Flexible hours. Nice home to work in.

Contact

Email is best:
Lee@Santilli.us

 

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Funding Forecast and Award Opportunities

 

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2012-2013
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2012-2013 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

Forecast of Funding Opportunities under the Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2012-2013
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the U.S. Department of Education has invited or expects to invite applications for new awards for fiscal year 2013 and provides actual or estimated deadlines for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of charts organized according to the Department’s principal program offices and include programs and competitions previously announced as well as those to be announced at a later date.

FY 2012 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

FY 2012 Discretionary Grant Application Packages
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html
This site, from the Department of Education, provides information on grant competitions that are currently open.

State Farm/NYLC: Project Ignition
http://www.sfprojectignition.com/
State Farm and the National Youth Leadership Council are sponsoring Project Ignition, which funds programs that give high school students and their teachers the chance to work together to address the issue of teen driver safety. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: students grades 9-12. Deadline: November 15, 2012.

The College Board: Costas Awards
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/awards/costas
The College Board Bob Costas Awards for the Teaching of Creative Writing support exceptional teachers who through their innovative teaching methods motivate their students to write. Winning teachers are awarded grants to enhance successful projects currently underway. Projects can be carried out in school (public or nonpublic), through an after-school writing workshop, or during a summer program. Maximum award: $3,000. Eligibility: teachers from all academic disciplines grades 6-12. Deadline: November 21, 2012.

The College Board: Inspiration Awards
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/awards/inspiration
The College Board Inspiration Awards celebrate America’s most improved high schools, those that have improved their academic environment and helped their students achieve the promise of a higher education by initiating unique programs and creating partnerships among teachers, parents, community organizations, and local businesses. Maximum award: $25,000. Eligibility: secondary schools (public and nonpublic) in which 40 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced-price lunches. Deadline: November 30, 2012.

National Science Teachers Association Accepting Entries for Shell Science Lab Challenge
http://www.nsta.org/shellsciencelab/
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), with support from Shell Oil Company, is accepting entries for the third annual Shell Science Lab Challenge. The challenge invites middle and high school science teachers (grades 6-12) in the United States and Canada (with special attention to urban and underrepresented groups) to illustrate replicable approaches to science lab instruction utilizing limited school and laboratory resources. Fifty-four regional finalists will be selected and asked to create a short video that displays the school’s current science laboratory facilities and explains how winning equipment and resources would make a difference in their science teaching and their students’ learning experience. The judging panel will select 18 regional winners, then five national finalists, and then a grand-prize winner. More than $90,000 in lab makeover prizes will be awarded to the 18 winning schools. Winners will receive science lab equipment, cash grants, membership in NSTA, and support to attend NSTA conferences on science education. Deadline: November 12, 2012.

National Science Teachers Association Invites Applications for Shell Science Teaching Award
http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx#shell
A partnership between Shell Oil Company and the National Science Teachers Association, the Shell Science Teaching Award recognizes one outstanding classroom teacher (grades K-12) who has had an impact on his or her students, school, and the community through exemplary science teaching. Nominees must be classroom teachers whose responsibilities include teaching science, must have a minimum of eight years of experience (not including the current school year) as a teacher of science, and must teach in a private or public school in the United States, U.S. Territories, Department of Defense schools, or in Canada. The honoree will receive $10,000. The recipient and the two finalists will each receive an all-expense-paid trip to attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education. Deadline: November 12, 2012.

Nestlé Very Best in Youth Program Accepting Applications for 2013 Community Service Awards
http://verybestinyouth.nestleusa.com/public/default.aspx
The biennial Nestlé Very Best in Youth program was created to spotlight the best in youth leadership by identifying and honoring teenagers in the United States whose community service efforts are making a difference in the lives of others. Nestlé seeks to help these young people make a difference by donating $1,000 in the name of each winner to the charity of his or her choice. Nestlé also awards the winner a trip to Los Angeles, California, for the Very Best in Youth awards ceremony. Contestants must be between 14-18 years of age and be legal residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia. Contestants must demonstrate good citizenship, a strong academic record, and be able to demonstrate how they have made a special contribution to their school, church, or community. Deadline: November 8, 2012.

The Prudential Spirit of community Awards
http://spirit.prudential.com
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is a youth recognition program based on volunteer community service, created in 1995 by Prudential in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, to honor middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others, to applaud young people who are making a difference in their towns and neighborhoods and to inspire others to contribute to their communities. One middle-school and one high-schools student from each of the 50 states plus the District of Columbia receive awards of $1,000, and a trip to Washington, DC, in May for recognition events. Applications must be submitted to school principals or the head of an officially designated local organization no later than November 6, and the deadline for schools and other officially designated local organizations to certify their selected applications is November 13, 2012.

Lockheed Martin: Grants for Education
http://tinyurl.com/78jcxth
Lockheed Martin provides grants for K-16 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education. This includes Lockheed Martin’s K-12 STEM Education Initiative, Engineers in the Classroom, as well as STEM-focused curricular and extracurricular programs that provide employee engagement opportunities in a community in which Lockheed Martin has employees or business interests. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations that deliver standards-based science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to students in K-16. Deadline: rolling.

MetLife/NASSP: National Principal of the Year
http://www.nassp.org/Awards-and-Recognition/Principal-of-the-Year
The MetLife/National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) National Principal of the Year honors secondary school principals who have provided high-quality learning opportunities for students and demonstrated exemplary contributions to the profession. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: any principal, headmaster, or leader of a public or private middle-level or high school from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, or the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Schools. Middle-level and high schools are defined as those containing some portion of grades 6 through 12; candidates must have been principals for three years or longer. Each candidate must be a principal (or headmaster) and member of NASSP and his or her state affiliate association at the time of selection as state principal of the year. For national finalists, these conditions must also be met at the time of national principal of the year interviews in August and at the national winner announcements in September. Deadline: varies by state; see website.

NASSP/Virco: Assistant Principle of the Year
http://www.nassp.org/Awards-and-Recognition/Assistant-Principal-of-the-Year
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)/Virco, Inc., National Assistant Principal of the Year program recognizes outstanding middle-level and high school assistant principals who have demonstrated success in leadership, curriculum, and personalization. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: any assistant principal or equivalent (e.g., vice principal, associate principal, or dean) of a public or private middle school or high school who has been an assistant principal at one or more middle-level or high schools for a minimum of two years and is a member of NASSP and their state affiliate association. Deadline: varies by state; see website.

National Science Teachers Association Awards for Excellence in Inquiry-Based Science Teaching
http://www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx?lid=tnavhp#delta
The Delta Education/Frey-Neo/CPO Science Awards for Excellence in Inquiry-based Science Teaching will recognize and honor three full-time PreK-12 teachers of science who successfully use inquiry-based science to enhance teaching and learning in their classroom. Maximum award: $1,500 towards expenses to attend the NSTA National Conference, and $1,500 for the awardee. Eligibility: PreK-12 teachers of science. Deadline: November 30, 2012.

Project Ignition Grants to be Available
http://www.sfprojectignition.com/
Car crashes are the number one cause of death for adolescents. “Project Ignition” brings together students, teachers and communities to create change and save lives. The National Youth Leadership Council® and State Farm® have announced the availability of $2,000 Project Ignition grants to public high schools to address teen driver safety through service-learning. Information on past projects and tips on how to apply are provided on the website. Deadline for applications: November 15, 2012.

AIAA Foundation: Grants for Excellence in Math, Science, Technology, and Engineering
https://www.aiaa.org/Secondary.aspx?id=4184
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation Classroom Grants encourage excellence in educating students about math, science, technology, and engineering. Eligibility: current AIAA Educator Associate or AIAA Professional members actively engaged as K-12 classroom educators. Maximum award: $200. Deadline: rolling.

NCTM: Improving Students’ Understanding of Geometry Grants
http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=1324
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Improving Students’ Understanding of Geometry grant is to develop activities that will enable students to better appreciate and understand some aspect of geometry that is consistent with the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics of NCTM. The project should include applications of geometry to art, literature, music, architecture, nature, or some other relevant area, and may integrate the use of technology into the teaching of geometry. Proposals must address: geometry content, the appropriateness of the application, the link between the Geometry Standard and the project’s activities, and the anticipated impact on students’ learning. Maximum award: $4,000. Eligibility: teachers preK-8 who are NCTM members as of October 15, 2012, or teach at a school with a preK-8 NCTM school membership as of October 15, 2012. Deadline: November 9, 2012.

NCTM: Using Mathematics to Teach Music

http://www.nctm.org/resources/content.aspx?id=1318
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) offers Using Mathematics to Teach Music grants to encourage the incorporation of music into the elementary school classroom to help young students learn mathematics. Any acquisition of equipment must support the proposed plan but not be the primary focus of the grant. Proposals must address: the combining of mathematics and music; the plan for improving students’ learning of mathematics; and the anticipated impact on students’ achievement. Maximum award: $3,000. Eligibility: individual classroom teachers or small groups of teachers currently teaching mathematics in grades PreK-2 level who are also (as of October 15, 2012) Full Individual or e-Members of NCTM or teach in a school with a current (as of October 15, 2012) NCTM PreK-8 school membership. Deadline: November 9, 2012.

Nestlé USA: Very Best in Youth Program

http://verybestinyouth.nestleusa.com/About/Default.aspx
The Nestlé USA Very Best in Youth Program honors young people ages 13-18 who have excelled in school and who are making their community and the world a better place. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility: youth ages 13 and 18 years of age who demonstrate good citizenship, a strong academic record, and can show how they have made a special contribution to their school, church, or the community. Entrants must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to submit nomination. Deadline: November 8, 2012.

Humane Society of the United States: Education Mini-Grant
http://www.humanesociety.org/parents_educators/award/humane_education_mini_grant.html
The Humane Society of the United States is accepting applications for the 2012 Humane Education Mini-Grant, to fund innovative humane education opportunities in K-12 classrooms. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility: all certified K-12 teachers in the U.S. Deadline: November 30, 2012.

Target Launches $5 Million Giving Competition with “Ellen DeGeneres Show”
http://ellen.warnerbros.com/schoolgiving/
Target will distribute $5 million in grants of $100,000 each to elementary and secondary schools recommended by viewers of the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” as part of its pledge to distribute $1 billion in support of education by the end of 2015. To participate, viewers must submit through the show’s Web site the name of a school that needs help and a compelling story that explains why the school should receive a grant. From those submissions, Target will select fifty schools to receive a grant, which can be used for new books, upgraded technology, and other efforts designed to improve the school’s learning environment. In addition, two schools will be featured on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show.” No deadline for application listed.

Fund for Teachers: Grants
http://www.fundforteachers.org/about-us.php
The Fund for Teachers provides funds for direct grants to teachers to support summer learning opportunities of their own design. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: teachers who work with students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12, with a minimum of three years teaching experience, full-time, spending at least 50 percent of the time in the classroom at the time grants are approved and made. Deadline: varies by state.

Open Society Foundations’ Youth Initiative Seeks Proposals to Curate Web Pages at Youthpolicy.org
http://www.youthpolicy.org/blog/2011/09/call-for-curation-proposals/
The Open Society Foundations’ Youth Initiative seeks proposals from NGOs for up to $10,000 to develop and curate thematic pages on Youthpolicy.org, an online youth portal and community. The Web site aims to consolidate knowledge and information on youth policies across the world. Potential themes for Web site pages:, Participation and Citizenship, Activism and Volunteering, Children and Youth Rights, Global Drug Policy, Community Work, Research and Knowledge, Informal Learning, Environment and Sustainability, Multiculturalism and Minorities, Justice, etc. Proposals must outline how the theme will be addressed, how content will be produced on a regular basis, how and how many contributing authors and bloggers will be involved, and how users interested in the theme will be driven to and engaged at the site. Organizations seeking funding must be registered NGOs. Grants will not be made to individuals or for-profit entities. Proposals must be submitted in English and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Best Buy: Teach @15 Award
http://www.bestbuy-communityrelations.com/teach_awards.htm
The Teach@15 Award program improves classroom learning by helping schools (grades 7-12) meet their technology needs. A teen member (age 13-18) who is a registered member on www.at15.com can nominate his/her school to win a Teach@15 Award. Maximum award: $1,500 in the form of Best Buy Gift Cards. Eligibility: accredited, nonprofit junior or senior public, private, parochial, magnet, and charter high schools in the U.S. serving any grades 7-12. Deadline: ongoing.

NEA Foundation and Consortium for School Networking Invite Ideas for Mobile Phone Education Innovations
http://tinyurl.com/28vmvu5
The NEA Foundation’s newest C2i challenge, conducted in partnership with the Consortium for School Networking, is inviting ideas for mobile phone technology that can transform teaching and learning. The foundation will award grants of $1,000 to as many as five individuals who post the best ideas on the C2i page at the U.S. Department of Education’s Open Innovation Portal. The solutions selected will be shared by the NEA Foundation and CoSN via multiple outlets. The C2i challenge is open to public school educators, students, and others with an interest in improving public education. Proposed solutions must effectively incorporate smart phones or cell phones. Portal registrants can also review, comment, and vote on the posted solutions.

AIAA Foundation: Grants for Excellence in Math, Science, Technology and Engineering
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=244
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation Classroom Grants encourage excellence in educating students about math, science, technology, and engineering. Eligibility: current AIAA Educator Associate or AIAA Professional members actively engaged as K-12 classroom educators. Maximum award: $200. Deadline: rolling.

USGA/Alliance: Grants for the Good of the Game
http://www.accessgolf.org/grants/alliance_grants.cfm
The National Alliance for Accessible Golf (Alliance) and the United States Golf Association (USGA), believing golf should be open to everyone, support a wide variety of programs that create opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in the sport. They especially encourage inclusive programming – opportunities that allow participants with disabilities and participants without disabilities to learn and play the game side by side. Maximum award: $20,000. Eligibility: tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations as defined under Section 501(c)3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code or government entities such as public schools or municipalities. Deadline: rolling.

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Stephanie M. Pena

B.S. in Exceptional Education

Florida International University

 

Abstract

This is a book review on the book “Exceptional Learners: Education and Research from a Global Perspective” by Ivan Z. Holowinsky. The book review will include a brief summary of the book followed by the author’s purpose and the benefits educators and politicians across the globe will gain from reading this book. I will give a critique of the information presented, and the manner in which the book is written. Overall, Holowinsky organizes the book very well in a way which is easy for the reader to comprehend, and he presents only fact based information.

 

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To learn more click on the image above or – Click here

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Acknowledgements

Portions of this month’s NASET Special Educator e-Journal were excerpted from:

• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, an electronic newsletter of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), available online at http://www.ncset.org/enews. NCSET is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
• National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
• National Institute of Health
• National Organization on Disability
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• U.S. Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
• U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
• U.S. Department of Labor
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Office of Special Education
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this edition of the NASETSpecial Educator e-Journal.

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